Buyers’ Guide to VINTAGES Oct 31, Part One

Chile and Top Whites Picks
by John Szabo MS, with notes from David Lawrason and Sara d’Amato

John Szabo, MS

Fall is a frenetic time of year in the wine world, and not just for winemakers. This year in particular has been non-stop, with multiple invitations for tastings squeezing into my inbox almost every day, featuring visiting winemakers and winery principals. Canada, it seems, has become a real “focus market”, which is great news for us. It means more great wines in our market, even if you’ll have to go direct to agents for many – there are only so many open SKUs at your local retail monopoly store. We’re doing our best at WineAlign to keep up with tastings and posting reviews of both LCBO and consignment portfolios, so if you’re looking for off-the-path great wines, set your filter to “All Sources” when using the wine search function.

This week we bring you a wine-packed report on the very good Chile feature, hitting VINTAGES on October 31st, along with an eclectic selection of recommended whites from around the world. Read to the bottom for details on upcoming events and tastings, including the annual Chilean Wine Fair (special offer for WineAlign readers), and upcoming grower champagne and volcanic wine masterclasses.

Chile: Getting its Due

Earlier this year I reported on some of the exciting developments that have shaken up the staid, traditional foundations of Chile, a well-established wine producer and exporter, in the last handful of years. In that piece, I list ten things you should know about Chile (that you may not have known already), including discussion on some of the most exciting winery projects, fruit of a visit there last November. Yet sadly, so many of the wines that we discover and get enthusiastic about on such trips abroad, and write about, fail to ever reach our shores. It makes me wonder what the point is.

But happily, the October 31st VINTAGES release featuring Chile gives us hope that somebody is listening, or at least doing their own research to properly represent the country on our shelves. A couple of my picks even came in, so to speak. Projects like Luis Felipe Edwards exceptional LFE 900 range, from some of Chile’s highest elevation vineyards where naturally balanced, exceptional reds are standard, or Pedro Parra and friends’ Clos de Fous project, whose stated aim is to seek out and express “extreme terroirs in Chile: altitude wines, coastal wines in front of the Pacific Ocean, or Southern Wines coming from Malleco, 700 km South Santiago”, will help to broaden and deepen the field beyond the familiar. If you’ve never found Chilean wines particularly exciting, give these a try.

View from Luis Felipe Edwards LFE 900 project vineyard

But the selection is not all radical. In fact it’s rather well thought out with some classics like Concha y Toro’s excellent Terrunyo cabernet (and also revisit winemaker Marcelo Papa’s enlightened new direction with the ultra-traditional Marqués de Casa Concha line, especially the cabernet sauvignon from 2013 on, a VINTAGES essential). The De Martino winery under Marcelo Retamal has been innovating for a decade already and his fine sauvignon blanc is on offer.

Sara and David include their visions of quality and diversity, bringing a recommended white blend, carignan, pinot noir, carmenere and syrah into the discussion. Indeed it’s a testament to the broad stylistic range and the generally high quality on offer that there’s virtually no alignment of picks this week between David, Sara and I. It’s not because our palates don’t align, they do (albeit not always), but rather because there was lots of choose from in a wide variety of styles.

Diversity is one of Chile’s best new strengths, and it’s heartening to see Chile getting its due. Read through the reviews to find the wines that match you.

John Szabo – Four crazy friends, Pedro Parra, Albert Cussen, Paco Leyton & Francois Massoc are behind the excellent Clos des Fous project, focusing on Chile’s radical terroirs at the forefront of change in the country. The cabernet from the Grillo Cantores vineyard in the Alta Cachapoal D.O. on volcanic alluvial soils with limestone is like no other cabernet you’ve had from Chile. It smells like wine: no artifice, no exaggerated ripeness and no wood. Acids are firm and fresh, and tannins are well managed and fine-grained, infinitely drinkable. A great wine for the table with its appealing salty streak.Sara d’Amato – From ungrafted, high altitude vines, this captivating cabernet is generous yet still showing some restraint. There is a lot to look forward to here in this red fermented and aged in concrete vats. There is good potential for graceful development over the next 3-4 years.

John Szabo – Chilean sauvignon blanc is one of the better value countries for the grape, with even premium versions like this rarely cracking the $20 ceiling. De Martino’s winemaker Marcelo Retamal is among the most forward thinking (which often means backwards thinking) winemakers in Chile, and here he has crafted a sharp and fresh version with a blast of citrus and light tropical fruit, with fresh wintergreen mint flavours. This should satisfy both old and new world sauvignon fans.

John Szabo – the “LFE 900” project is surely one of the top terroirs in Chile, a rocky (volcanic) vineyard 900m above sea level in the Colchagua Valley were the ripening cycle is much longer and natural balance is regularly achieved. Based on cabernet and syrah, this has genuine cut and class, freshness and refinement. Tannins are beautifully ripe and fine grained, and acids life-preserving. Terrific stuff, best 2015-2027.

John Szabo – Terrunyo is the premium range of single vineyard “terroir” expressions (terrunyo in Spanish), and this 2012 cabernet from the gravels of Pirque is finely balanced, rich and succulent but well-cut with a terrific salty note. There’s real drive and depth on the palate; this expands nicely across several flavour dimensions. Best 2015-2022.

Sara d’Amato – This singular blend from the cooler region of Casablanca is a product of organic and biodynamically grown fruit with little oak and body-enhancing lees ageing. Wildly complex with an abundance of tree and tropical fruit.

Sara d’Amato – From ungrafted, high altitude vines, this captivating cabernet is generous yet still showing some restraint. There is a lot to look forward to here in this red fermented and aged in concrete vats. There is good potential for graceful development over the next 3-4 years.

David Lawrason – This is a single vineyard (albeit large vineyard) carmenere from the lower Maipo Valley. It has a lifted, very minty/juniper nose with pure blackcurrant, light cedar and vanillin. It’s medium weight, tense, firm and juicy with excellent length.

Morandé 2011 Edición Limitada Carignan, Loncomilla Valley, Maule ($24.95)David Lawrason – Carignan grown in old vine sites in the coastal Maule region is the new, rising star of Chilean wine. There is even an association called Vignos devoted to the genre and it may become a DO (but Morande is not a member). This has lifted, grapey, blackberry fruit with a hot red brick oven minerality that is distinctly carignan.

David Lawrason – Although deeply coloured and ripe many Chilean syrahs are going for a lighter, juicier feel than examples from Australia, South Africa or Chile. This is a very pretty, supple and tender syrah with ripe blueberry aromas, considerable oak vanillin, dried herbs, chocolate and lead pencil.

John Szabo – I’ve been admiring this wine for many years, originally a single vineyard selection but now a blend of top lots from 4 parcels in Jesi. Quality remains high: 2014 is a fullish and flavourful, solid mouthful of a wine, with great acids and pronounced stony-minerality. Lees contact contributes notable smokiness on the palate.David Lawrason – Verdicchio remains one of the world’s most undervalued white wines. It is capable of greatness and this comes close – a bright, polished solid and firm white that with a richness and complexity more mindful of White Burgundy. Great acidity and power here.

John Szabo – Terrific value chenin, fresh, with ripe apple and lightly honeyed flavours, and real phenolic grip on the palate from low yielding, relatively old vines. I like the density and intensity, especially at the price – this packs a solid winey punch.Sara d’Amato – A wonderfully representative South African chenin blanc from 35 year old, low yielding vines. The name DeMorgenzon refers to ‘the morning sun,’ as it is the first part of the Stellenboschkloof valley to see the sun due to its high altitude location and orientation. Bonus, its stylish packaging makes it a dinner table conversation piece.

John Szabo – Inniskillin has been tweaking their chardonnay style over the past few years, and this vintage really hits the mark. It’s very pretty, fruity, well-balanced and firm-fresh, with light oak influence and engaging citrus fruit. A light lactic touch gives this an almost Chablisienne profile. Best 2015-2020.

Sara d’Amato – The Terra Vitis designation on the label is indicates that sustainable viticultural practices were used. Produced from wines aged 30-60 years old, this “sur-lie” melon de Bourgogne is punchy and brimming with orchard fresh pear, fleshy peach and typical cool stone.

Ferrari-Carano 2103 Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County, California ($22.95)David Lawrason – The well known Mondavi Fume is on this realease as well, and its very good, but this is better. The complex reminds me of corn shoots and fresh peas, with gentle oak spice/nutmeg. It’s quite full bodied, plush, sweetish and warm but the flavour intensity is admirable. Good value within the genre of barrel aged sauvignons

Stoneleigh 2014 Latitude Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($21.95)David Lawrason – Very complete, refined NZ sauvignon with not a hair out of place. Nicely lifted, very peppery (green and black) aromas with chive, grapefruit, passion fruit and lime. Its mid-weight, very bright intense and even.

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Upcoming Events

Gourmet Food and Wine Show Tutored Tasting: Volcanic Wines

From the Ring of Fire to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the meeting of the Eurasian and African Tectonic plates in the Mediterranean, join Master Sommelier John Szabo for an exotic tour of the world’s best volcanoes! Or rather, the exceptional wines that grow on them. Since the dawn of time, humankind has been drawn to these lethal but irresistible fissures in the earth, not least because the soils surrounding them are incredibly mineral-rich and whatever grows on them, including grapes, has flavours as intense as a cataclysmic volcanic eruption. Salty, gritty and powerful — these are the world’s best volcanic wines. Buy tickets now

Hosted by John Szabo, Canada’s first Master Sommelier and IWEG WSET Diploma Graduate, experience the nuances that make grower Champagne so exceptional and unique! Taste 8 premium single estate Champagnes produced in limited quantities, most of which will not be available in the LCBO.

Editors Note: You can find complete critic reviews by clicking on any of the highlighted wine names, bottle images or links. Paid subscribers to WineAlign see all critics reviews immediately. Non-paid members wait 60 days to see new reviews. Premium membership has its privileges; like first access to great wines!

The good talk that is inseparable from a wine dinner is even more important than the wines that are being served. Never bring up your better bottles if you are entertaining a man who cannot talk. Keep your treasures for a night when those few who are nearest to your heart can gather round your table, free from care, with latchkeys in their pockets and no last train to catch.